The Perfect Gift
by Chibi-Hannah-Chan
Summary: One Shot. Quistis' friends neglect her at Christmas, but when two dark strangers kidnap her could it be a merry Christmas after all? Quiefer.


Disclaimer:I do not own these characters, places ect.   
  
A/N: This story is special for Christmas. And it's just in time as well.  
  
The perfect gift  
  
Gently falling snow, the sent of chestnuts roasting in the air, a brass band playing those songs that reminded us that it is once again that time of year where the troubles of the past seem to melt away as the festive season of Christmas approaches, where we exchange gifts with those who are closest to our hearts.  
  
What a festering turd of a lie that is?  
  
Christmas was nothing more then a media endorsed sham of a holiday that was only created to force gullible morons to empty their pockets on purchases for people who half of which they don't even like and the other half probably won't even use what you get them any way...well at least thats what Quistis Trepe thought. Christmas was just another day in the year that you just happened to be obligated to waste all your money on gifts for certain people and not expect one in return, and her case that was how it was.  
  
Not to misunderstand, she cared for each of her friends dearly, truth be told she couldn't imagine a day go by without the hyper active antics of Zell and Selphie or the crude yet smooth talking chat-up lines Irvine would deliver whenever they were both alone in the Cantine together...which always led to Irvine being left to clean up the hot coffee poured down his front. But at Christmas time, frankly Quistis felt she may as well be the fridge humming in the background. One other Christmas had pass since the defeat of Ultimecia and when Quistis has looked under the tree for herself do you know what her gift was? Gil, envelope after envelope of Gil, that's what they had ALL decided to get her, they had got together a few days before and agreed that was what would make her Christmas, of course being the polite young woman that she was she just smiled and thanked her friends for her so called gifts kindly, but do you know what was the best part? When Rinoa had given her her envelope, the raven haired sorceress couldn't help but mention,  
  
'I didn't know what you wanted.'  
  
Now Rinoa didn't so much annoy Quistis, quite the opposite, Rinoa was one of her best friends but when she said those six words, she about ready to spear that girls heart on Rudolph antlers.  
  
"All I wanted for Christmas was that necklace. Rinoa." Quistis mused softly in her dorm room.  
  
When the two had gone Christmas shopping a couple of weeks before she had clearly pointed out a necklace in a jewelry shop window. And without stuttering or mumbling said,  
  
"That would be my perfect Christmas gift." But all she got were five envolopes, three from Irvine, Zell and Selphie another from Rinoa and Squall, well, more Rinoa then Squall and a last one from the Kramers, even when she put every Gil she received together she still didn't have enough to buy the necklace her self.  
  
Quistis sighed deeply, and she'd have to endure all of that again tonight. Climbing off of her bed and walking across her room to her dressing table, the blonde SeeD took a good look at her reflection. With a ghost of a smile, she traced the soft fabric over her stomach. The dress was a deep, festive Scarlet colour, it clinged to Quistis' chest, waist and hips leaving her shoulders bare and flared out just a little when it traveled down her legs to the floor and the finishing touch was the inch thick piece of material the same shade as the dress around her neck like a choker, all together making the gown proper yet strangely seductive.   
  
At least I'll look good thought Quistis gazing at her reflection.  
  
Normally she would dress in her SeeD uniform for something like this, but something told her that this was the dress to wear tonight, actually the nattering and high pitched squeals of Rinoa and Selphie told her to wear this dress to night. And as if on que, Quistis heard a loud pounding from the other side of her door,  
  
"Come oooonn Quisty," She heard Selphie's whining from the other side.  
  
"We have to go or we'll be late."  
  
"I'll be out in just a moment." Quistis yelled back through the door, given a tired groan as a reply while she finished putting on some gold, sort of pendant like earrings. She had her hair in its usual pinned up fashion, with a small piece of holly at one side for a Christmas touch. Quitis took one last look at her self in the mirror and scooped up her Cherry red handbag held by a gold chain handel and left her room to greet her friends.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well, the Garden Ball Room was looking as grand and as breathtaking as always; A crystal chandelier above the dance floor, a fair sized band on the stage playing the repetitive 'Waltz for the Moon' and at the center of attention one of largest Christmas trees Quistis had ever seen, decorated in tinsel and babbles.  
  
Ah, what a wonderful way to respect nature. Hack down a tree then embarrass it by dressing it in sparkle so people can stare at it slack-jawed and buggy eyed as if they've never seen a tree before.  
  
Thought Quistis bitterly while eyeing the tree up and down. Selphie had taken the arms of the enthusiastic Zell and Irvine and left her friends side to socialize with representatives of 'this' Garden and 'that' military organization, leaving the SeeD with her thoughts.  
  
She sighed as deeply as before at the sight of the presents under the tree, neatly and well displayed. Quistis began to think, while see looked over the pile of wrapping paper and ribbons. Maybe, just maybe, if she was tactful enough she could leave early. The blonde bent down and rummaged through the gifts to find the ones she had placed there.  
  
You'd think it would be difficult for someone to carry seven presents but not for Quistis; she had bought Squall and Rinoa 'His' and 'Her' necklaces, Zell was easy to shop for, just get him the latest dueling gloves and he'd be happy. She got Irvine a new scope for his sniper gun, snug in Styrofoam in it's box, it was easy to carry, Selphie, a small handbag shaped like a pink boot with buckles at the side, when Quistis had seen this it had screamed Selphie. And for the Kramer couple, matching bathrobes as, well, she couldn't think of anything better.  
  
Quistis handed out the gifts to everyone just by passing them buy and throwing their present into their hands. Leaving two happy couples and a pair of tipsy teenage boys to play with their new gifts, she made her way across to a, thank Hyne, still sober Selphie. The second the brunette saw her blonde friend she flung her arms around her.  
  
"Heeeeeyyy!" She squealed into Quistis' ear. Selphie pulled back from sensing her friends discomfort.  
  
"I haven't seen you ALL night." Quistis gave a soft smile really just wanting to give the shorter girl her gift and get out of there. She presented the little parcel in front of her friend.  
  
"For me? Aaaawww, Quisty." Selphie grabbed for the package and ripped it open not giving a second notice to the mess she was making. Her Emerald eyes widened and sparkled at the sight of the little handbag.  
  
"Oh, Quisty!" She hollered grabbing the attention of some of the party guest around them, "I love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, tha-" Selphie went oddly quiet, not at all like the vibrant girl Quistis knew,  
  
"Wait right here." The girl ordered, then swept across the room to a drunken cowboy. From Quistis could see, her name had been spoken along with either the word 'gift' or the word, Quistis shuddered, 'Gil'. Irvine's eyes darted from Quistis back to Selphie, then he just shrugged which earned him a shocked and disappointed look from the little dark haired girl. Irvine gestured Selphie who briefly passed her gaze over Quistis, she then took the arm of her stumbling friend and led him to the enormous Christmas tree where both Squall and Rinoa stood. Squall just finishing putting the 'Hers' necklace around his girlfriends slender neck, saw the others coming, Quistis, still standing and watching the four, began feeling very weak at the sight and wondered if ever they'd be someone who would touch her so tenderly.  
  
She pushed those thoughts aside by more bitter and resentful memories that reminded her why she hated this holiday in the first place.  
  
So. You guys couldn't even remember to put money in an envelope for me. Quistis blinked back the tears beginning to form and looked at the group of friends, staring at them with a mix of anger and grief. She turned sharply and strode to a pair of stained glass windows which led to the garden. But before even placing a finger on the handel a voice cried out her from a few feet behind her.  
  
"Quistis." A warm mothering sound called to her. The Blonde turned again to meet the affectionate gaze Edea Kramer.  
  
"Where are you going?" Quistis, as a child, had always confided in the older woman but tonight she didn't really feel like baring her soul to anyone, especially if it meant having to explain that she was sick of feeling like paint on the wall, ignored and taken for granted. She smiled meekly at her Matron,  
  
"I just need some fresh air, it's becoming too stuffy in here." She lied. Edea nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yes well, do you want your gift?"  
  
Oh, yes Edea I would love a beige coloured envelope with about enough money to buy a lovely sandwich and maybe treat myself to having my hair cut. She thought sarcastically. But all that stopped when she saw the cd sized box in Edea's hand. The dark haired woman raised it so Quistis could get a better look.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked knowingly.  
  
"Wher-who, who is that from?" Quistis asked agape that someone got her something other then Gil for a change.  
  
"I don't know, but..." Edea still had that look of knowledge in her eyes, as if their was something that she wasn't telling the young blonde.  
  
"My intuition tells me it's from a boy." The last two words trailed from her lips in a childish fashion. Quistis rolled her eyes heavenward. Edea handed her the gift as if it was made of glass.  
  
"Now go get some fresh air." She added quietly, again in a certain way, like this time she didn't want anyone to hear her, Edea left the side of the girl with her gift. Quistis was about to rip open her gift before she realized the increasingly roudy behavior around her. The guests were becoming louder, laughing and shouting to each other, Quistis could tell just by looking that aloft of liquor had been poured tonight and someone had had the genius idea of starting a conga line. Quistis made her escape through the garden doors into the cold night.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The blonde rubbed at her sides as the freezing air hit her. She walked out at bit until she was where she could look out over the gardens but was she could still feel the warm glow from the party on her bare back. She leaned her weight against the wall of the patio where she stood. The garden was covered with withered flowers and bare trees, Quistis supposed that if it wasn't for Christmas the dead plants and cold weather would be pretty depressing.   
  
She gazed at the small gift for a few second while tracing with her fingers like she did her dress earlier. The small box was as white as freshly fallen snow, tied around it was a red, see through ribbon embroidered with gold at its edges, crossing across the box and tied into a bow in the center. Quistis took one side of the bow between her fingers gently and pulled the ribbon away so it dangled between her fingers. For a second she could have sworn her had stopped in her chest as she lifted the top of the box off. She gasped softly at the sight; hanging from a thin, delicate looking chain, specks of diamonds melted into a gold shaping of a snowflake.  
  
Quistis couldn't belive it, the necklace she had seen in the jewelry shop window, someone had actually bought it for her! Still taken back, she placed the box on the patio wall and lifted the chain from the little package, holding it gently. She undid the chain and placed it around her neck, imitating the tenderness Squall had displayed, then ran her finger across down her neck over the gorgeous piece of jewelry. She gazed upwards at the clear, starlit night sky nearly teary-eyed. Perhaps someone did care...  
  
Just then a gruff, manly voice came from the side, causing Quistis to nearly jump out of her skin,  
  
"Quistis Trepe?" The voice asked.  
  
"Yes?" She replied while turning to face the man. That was when she found that there were two there. Both were clad in black jackets, trousers and boots, with dark masks covering their faces, the outfits rather resembled ninja uniforms. The only difference between the two was the height, the one who had spoken to her was at least six foot but the other was shorter than she was. And there was something recognizable about these two, Quistis was certain she had meet them before but was just having a hard time remembering where.  
  
"Your 'e coming with use!" The taller one ordered.  
  
"What-" Quistis was about to begin but was silenced when the taller of the two kidnappers hand clasped over her mouth, he grabbed her by the waist and turned her around so his front was facing the her back and her arms were neatly tucked in between his broad chest and one arm. The Instructor began squirming insanely in the large mans arms, which knocked the piece of Holly still held in between her pinned up strands, but even with her constant wriggling she was unable to move or even call for help because of the large hand covering her mouth. When she had a chance to, the other picked her ankles of the ground and lifted her so she was not able to move any part of her body. After properly capturing her, the kidnappers carried Quistis' struggling body into the shadows of the bushes and trees of the gardens.  
  
Searching for his ex-instructor, Squall Leonhart walked out from the party that was still growing in volume.  
  
"Quistis?" The man called out to the cold December night. He searched the patio slightly, looking across from side to side. He had learnt from Edea that she had come out here to get some fresh air and he had been the volunteer slash victim to tell Quistis that they had forgotten her gift. Squall looked down when he noticed the piece of Holly on the ground, he faintly remembered Quistis wearing this as a hair ornament. He bent down and swept the plant up then skimmed the area to see where the young Quistis could have got to.  
  
"Squall? Are you coming back inside?" Squall turned around to the soothing voice of his girlfriend. Like Irvine he switched his gaze, this time from the piece of Holly in his hand and the that irresistible sight of Rinoa in her creamy dress beside the glass door way bathed in the lights of the party. Quistis never really liked Christmas anyway, perhaps she went to her room, Squall assumed. He just shrugged it off ,dropped the Holly unaffectionately and took the hand of the raven haired girl to return to the party. All too blissfully ignorant of what had just occurred.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Dumped unceremoniously, tied up and blind folded, on to a curiously soft area, Quistis was unarmed and not in the sort of attire one would wear for a kidnapping situation nor the sort of attire one would wear to attempt an escape on top of that, not only did she have to face the embarrassment of being captured , restrained and transported here in the back seat of what Quistis believed was a car or , judging by the insistent rumbling of the engine, a van but just to add to the awful predicament that she was in, Quistis had no idea where 'here' was.  
  
  
  
"Wait there!" The male voice ordered her again, then followed by the sound of footsteps crunching against what could have been grass away from where they had left Quistis who was now wondering of what could possibly happen next and also, wait for what? Her question was given an answer when to rough yet warm hands laid themselves on her bound ones, causing Quistis to flinch her wrists slightly.  
  
"Easy. I'm gonna untie you." The voice, like her kidnappers also seemed to be recognizable, but from where? Who was he?  
  
"Don't bother to escape." He warned as he untied the rope around her wrists but, ignoring his warning Quistis jerked her hands quickly but before she had a chance to swing at the stranger he took her wrists in his hands with great speed.  
  
"Ah, what did I say?" Quistis could feel his lips come closer to her ear to speak just in a whisper, leaving a tickling sensation across her cheek from his breath when he spoke.  
  
"I don't want to hurt you." Now this left Quistis confused to no end, what was the point in kidnapping her in the first place then? Before she could voice her questions the hand around her wrists came to a waterfall of long golden locks, somewhere between the capture and being thrown into the back seat of the car the clip that kept her hair in place had fallen out leaving her blonde hair to cascade over her shoulders and down her back.   
  
The finger of the strangers hands became busy in lessening the blindfolds grip over her eyes lids, and he was taking extra trying not to get her hair caught or tangled. When the blindfold was loose enough, Quistis took the piece of material off of her eyes and where she was only helped to make this situation even more conflicting for her. Whether to run or stay?  
  
It was an opening in a part of the forest on the island, letting the rays of the full moon that night shine through down on the small spot of land, the whole area seemed to have been decorated into the style of a secret lovers rendezvous for Christmas. Fairy lights wound in and out of the branches of the trees, and Quistis realized that she was sitting on a picnic blanket with angel confetti sprinkled on the top. It was most romantic, so Quistis gathered her courage to face the stranger and question him about all this.  
  
When she did turn to face him, she almost had a heart attack. That neat cornflower hair, those deep jade eyes and that scar carved into his face.  
  
"Seifer?" She whispered merely above a breath but he caught it. It didn't take a genius to realize who the two who brought her here were, Fuijin and the big guy was most likely Raijin.   
  
"Why?" She was silenced by Seifer holding up and softly grazing across her lips. He raised himself of the ground from where he was lying next to her. He stood right there in front of her, his body bathed in the moon light, gazing into Quistis' questioning eyes. She was obviously still in the dark as to why she was here. Seifer decided it was time to tell her, everything, no holding it back tonight.  
  
"Quistis, it's Christmas." She was about to scream 'duh' in his face and walk away from whatever he thought this was but when she opened her mouth not even air came out. All oxygen was caught in her lungs when she saw that look in his eyes, a look she had never seen on his face before, warmth, caring and if she looked deep enough, love!  
  
"And Christmas is the one time I'll get to say this." That look just didn't seem to want to go away.  
  
"Tell me what?" Seifer smiled losing all the qualities he would take when he gave that infamous smirk. He reached into his grey jacket pocket, this was when some of his old-self that Quistis knew all too well came back. His kind smile was replaced by a frown.  
  
"SHIT!" Where is it?" Seifer began searching all his pockets, jacket and otherwise. Quistis just watched in amusement and shook her head at her ex-student.  
  
"Shit, shit!" He continued as he searched the last of his pockets, Quistis only just noticed the folded up paper set beside her where Seifer had sat next to her. Being as quiet as possible, wanting to know not only if this is what the anxious young man in front of her was looking for but what it actually was. So she unfolded it un-noticed by Seifer, it read,  
  
'Quistis, it's Christmas  
  
At Christmas you tell people who you feel. Do you like your gift?  
  
Quistis put 2 and 2 together and figured out who gave her the necklace dangling down the to the top lining of her dress  
  
'The Christmas' I see are worth recalling are the ones I spent at the orphanage, with you. Even when the cold weather frosted over the windows, you made me feel warm, when you touch my freezing hand or kissed me softly on the forehead. When you were close nothing could touch me.'  
  
The girl raised her Sapphire eyes and gazed at the young man with both suspicion and shock, those childish eyes were staring back at her giving her the impression that he was waiting for her answer with great anticipation. Quistis carried on reading.  
  
'But no matter how hard I tried I had that warmth taken away, I had you taken away from me, I needed you to know this Quistis. And I think you needed someone to tell you this.' Quistis began to become teary-eyed again.  
  
'Your perfect. You are my perfect gift. And I love you, and I don't care what any one else says. I love you.  
  
Merry Christmas  
  
Seifer'  
  
Quistis couldn't hold it back any more and just let tiny droplets pour across her face. She rose slowly never taking her gaze from that young man.  
  
Before Seifer had a chance to explain himself, Quistis sprinted across to him and thew herself into his arms falling into a passionate kiss. Seifer's eyes widened slightly but, without hesitation he quickly wound his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. He pulled back slightly only to have Quistis tug on his coat and pull him back to her lips.  
  
When she did finally pull back a content Seifer brought her body closer to his chest where she rested her head so they could both keep warm in the cold, still night.  
  
So they just stood quietly in the growlingly icy air.  
  
Stroking her hair affectionately Seifer brought his lips to her ear again and whispered,  
  
"Merry Christmas."  
  
Quistis nuzzled into his chest and just deeply sighed.  
  
"Yes...it is...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well that is that, the last fic I'll post till next year and the beginning of writing FF8 fics.   
  
Just in time for Christmas as well.  
  
Review please and Merry Christmas and...God help me  
  
Have a Proper Crimbo!!!! 


End file.
